looking for in a prospective student?
band guys. But the para diddle diddle is one there’s some people who on Sunday morning
of the twenty-six, it’s my favorite rudiment. it’s all about them, it isn’t really always about
[Gregg] I teach anybody. I teach for Cal It’s a right, left, right, right, left, left, it doesn’t worship. It’s the drummer who sits down
Lutheran near my home and I do some substitute alternate. The para diddle alternates right, left, and goes, “Oh man, I’m gonna play now, I’m
teaching for USC and Cal State Northridge. But right, right, left, right, left, left. But somebody gonna go off and do this gospel chops thing
I love going out and doing clinics and teaching. once summed up all of the rudiments into two over “Amazing Grace”. Well, ‘gospel chops’
I’m on my way to New Zealand right now and rudiments (singles and doubles) which are right, means nothing, that’s a complete backwards
I’m going to be doing some really fun big band left, right, left, right, left, right, left alternating statement, because the gospel is the word of
concerts with the Rodger Fox Big Band. I was forever, and a roll, which is right, right, left, left, God and chops are playing real fast. If you play
there about twenty years ago in 1999 doing right, right, left, left, and all rudiments are a real fast and play real loud over the words of
concerts all over New Zealand with Rodger’s combination of those two. “Amazing Grace” or over a song that’s based
band. I’m doing a lot of seminars for Rodger on scripture you’re drowning out the gospel.
and for different universities and high schools, [WM] You have taught at the Christian There’s nothing gospel about ‘gospel chops’.
I love teaching. There’s no requirement, I just Musician Summit several times. What do you So I tell these drummers and other musicians,
love teaching and I’ve had great teachers so I try to teach a class in a one hour workshop? “This might be your only chance to shine, but
want to give back.
play simple, play dynamic, play so you can
[Gregg] I want to do more of those, I miss hear the most important thing: the words.”
[WM] Tell us about the para diddle diddle and those! I try to teach how to be a better worship If you can’t hear the singer or if the singer is
the importance of accents? musician, not just a drummer, whether you’re having problems with their intonation because
a drummer, bass player, guitarist, keyboard you’re playing drums too loud and they have to
player, or a worship singer. put that plexiglass around the drums because
[Gregg]
There
are
twenty-six
essential
rudiments that the National Association of
you’re not playing dynamic, you’re not being a
Rudimental Drummers started in America, not Part of the problem is that a lot of worship
too long after our country was founded. A lot bands are frustrated musicians that maybe
of those guys were European guys, or military don’t make a living doing what they do. So
very good musician.
It’s all about the song, and when you go see a
photo by Scott Robert Ritchie
June 2019
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